Issues and Innovations in E-Text and E-Textbooks in Higher Education

In this panel session, representatives from four very different institutions discuss the e-text and e-textbook initiatives on their campuses. E-texts and textbooks are directly related to instruction and are offered exclusively or primarily in digital format. They offer the promise of reduced cost, greater flexibility, greater access, and improved pedagogy. However, they also bring a number of challenges including accessibility, technology and library support, and intellectual property and privacy policy issues, among others. We will report on a survey of the range of challenges faced in implementing e-text and textbooks and describe some of the innovative solutions we have devised.